Embalming table



NOV. 27, 1951 s HOFFMAN I 2,576,116

' EMBALMING TABLE Filed April 5, 1946 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 StoHLeY C Hoffman b Inventqr Y AftorneY Nov. 27, 1951 s. s. HOFFMAN 2,576,116

EMBALMING TABLE Filed April :5, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 3 5tqnley GHOH'm an .Invcntor- A11. orney Patented Nov. 27, 1951 EMBALMIN G TABLE Stanley Gordon Hoffman, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application April 3, 1946, Serial No. 659,348

' In CanadaDecember 20, 1944 6 Claims.

This invention'relatesto a vibratory method and apparatus and is particularly directed to providing a method and apparatus for preparing corpses for embalming.

In preparing bodies for burial, a difliculty is encountered in effecting a complete drainage of the blood. This is due in part to congealing of the blood and in part to the collapse, after death, of the walls of veins and/or arteries which prevents the complete Withdrawal of the blood from the body and results in blemishes, or darkened areas of the skin which impart to the body an unattractive appearance. Many expedients have been proposed to overcome this difficulty, but of necessity they have been limited to methods for disguising the blemishes, no successful practical method having been proposed by which all the blood can be drained from the body, regardless of congealing or of collapse or break down of cell structure.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a method for treating bodies to aid in effecting the complete removal of blood therefrom. This object is attained by subjecting the body to high speed vibration during the drainage of blood therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus capable of imparting high speed vibrations to a body. This object is attained, broadly, by the combination of a resiliently supported frame, an embalming table carried by said frame, and means for imparting high speed vibrations to said embalming table.

An understanding of the manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are attained may be had from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an embalming table embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is an end elevation;

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the arrange ment for mounting the table on the resiliently supported frame;

Figure 5 is a detail view of the arrangement for adjusting the angular disposition of the embalming table;

Figure 6 is an end elevation illustrating the arrangement of a preferred form of vibrating unit;

Figure 7 is a detail view of a preferred form of counterbalanced eccentric shaft, embodied in the vibrating unit;

Figures 8 and 8a are detail views of resilient ly supported frame;

Figure 9 is an enlarged side elevation of the vibrating assembly; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged end elevation of the embalming table mounting and vibrating assemblies.

Like reference characters refer t like parts throughout.

The preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises, in general, a resiliently supported frame, indicated by the numeral 20, a shaft 2| journalled in and carried by said frame, a vibrating unit 22 mounted on said shaft, and an embalming table 23 carried by the resiliently supported frame and vibrated by the vibrating unit.

The resiliently supported frame 29 is comprised of a base 24, side members 26 and end members 21. The frame is preferably of rectangular shape and formed of members, such as tubular metal which is attractive in design, capable of withstanding the stresses to which it is subjected. While the frame may be supported in any one of several Ways to prevent vibrations from being transmitted to supporting structures, a satisfactory and relatively inexpensive arrangement in the form of vibration absorbing legs 25 is preferred. The legs 25 are in the form of blocks of rubber, or other material capable of absorbing and damping high speed vibrations, each block being at least partially enclosed in a rigid frame to retain it in its predetermined form. Such supporting members are known and are in relatively wide spread use.

A shaft 2| i journalled in bearings 28 carried by opposing side members 21. The shaft extends transversely of the frame at right angles to the long axis of the table 23.

Spaced apart members 29 and 30 are adjustably secured to and extend upwardly from the shaft 2| to carry the vibrating unit 22 and the platform 33 to which the embalming table 23 is secured.

The vibrating unit 22 is carried between the members 29 and 30 in a frame comprised of side members 3| and cross members 32. The side members 3| are secured to and carried between the members 29 and 30. The vibrating assembly comprises a shaft 34 having eccentric end portions 35 journalled in bearings 36 which may be parallel to or at right angles to the long axis of the table 23. In the modification illustrated in the drawings, the shaft 34 extends parallel to the long axis of the table 23 and the bearings are housed in the end members 3|. counterbalancing weights, preferably in the form of eccentrically weighted flywheels 31, are mounted on the shaft, the greater mass of the weight of the flywheels being opposed to the eccentrics. Ad-

justing weights, not shown, may be provided on the counterbalancing weights to enable fine adjustment of the counterbalance. In the design of the shaft and associated parts, the offset weight of the flywheels is preferably designed to cause the shaft to rotate, at operative speeds, about an axis approximately coincident with the axis of the portion of the shaft between the bearings and'spaced apart from the axis of the bearing portions. The shaft is driven from a motor 38 through a belt 39 which extends to'a sheave or driving pulley 40 mounted on the shaft 34. The sheave 40 is preferably mounted on the shaft 34 in such a manner that the axis of the sheave is coincident with the axis of rotation of the shaft and attached masses at operative speeds. The fly wheels 3'! are preferably enclosed in a housing 31a to prevent the entrance of foreign matter into the bearing structures.

The platform 33 is supported on the spaced apart members 29 and 3%, being secured thereto such as'by bolts 51. The=platform 33 is also secured to the upper ends ofthe members 3|, such as by bolts @2, of the frame in which the vibrating unit 22 is mounted.

The embalming table 23 is mounted on and secured to the platform 33. The table is preferably formed of material which is readily kept clean I and sanitary, such as porcelain or enamel coated sheet metal, chrome or stainless steel and is designed with a trough 43 extending around its periphery and leading to a drain pipe 4 3. The table is supported about midway of its length by spaced apart angle irons 45, being separated from direct contact with the supports, and from the platform 23 by pads or blocks 48, such as of rubber or felt, which absorb any vibration and prevent any drumming sound when the table is subjected to high speed vibrations.

Theembalming table 23 is adjustable in a vertical plane, by adjustment of the adjusting arm 45a. Normally, the embalming table and vibrating elements carried on the shaft 2i are locked in fixed position on the shaft 2| by a locking screw, in the form of a small handwheel 50,

"which secures the elements against pivotal movement by means of the adjusting arm 45a which is clamped to or released from locking engagement with one of the end members 21. To change the angular disposition of the embalming table, the locking screw 58 isreleased, the table tilted to a desired angle, and the locking screw tightened.

The resiliently supported frame and operating mechanism are preferably enclosed in a casing of attractive appearance, such asthat'indicated by the numeral 56, Figures 2, 3, 4 and 6, the space between the upper end of the shell and the embalming table being enclosed in a grill or like arrangement which permits of a circulation of air.

The device is very effective in use. On starting speeds, tends to rotate about the axis of the eccentrics, that is, about the axis of the bearing portions. As the rotative speed increases, the ofiset weight of the flywheels 3! becomes effective and the axis of rotation changes from the axis of the bearings 36 to the axis of the driving pulley. As the critical speed of the device is relatively low, this change takes place at a relatively low speed above which the vibrating unit and at- V tached masses, including the platform 33 and table 23 are rotated in a circular motion of -a radius equal, or approximately equal, to the dis-.

tance the axis of the bearings 36 is spaced apart from the axis of rotation, for example, from blood in the body; possibly due to a massaging effect on the cell structure, which permits withdrawal of all the blood from the body, including the blood from small veins, and leaves the body in ideal condition for the injection of the embalming fluid. Bodies treated by the process and apparatus ofthe present invention are free from blemishes heretofore caused by retention of blood .in the veins and arteries to congealing and collapse of cell structure.

It is found further that by imparting high speed vibrations at right angles the long axis of the body, that is at right angles to the body,

lesions which adhere to the walls and valves of the veins are broken down to such an extent that they are carried away with the blood thus leaving the body free from discoloration. Also, by continuing the vibrations during the period 'of injection of embalming fluid, the fluid is distributed to all parts of the body and a degree of saturation is obtained heretofore considered impossible to realize. V

'What I claim as'new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An embalming table which comprises a 7 frame mounted forhigh speed vibratory movethe motor, the shaft 34, when rotated at slow radius ina vertical plane is imparted to said ment in a vertical plane, an embalmingtable top carried by said frame, rotating means for vibrating said frame, said rotating means including a shaft having an eccentric weight thereon between the ends of the shaft, the ends being J'Ournalled in aligned bearings carried by said-frame, the mass axis of the ends of the. shaft being eccentric to the mass axis of the shaft between the ends, and means for-imparting high speed rotation to said shaft. 7

2. An embalming table which comprises a frame mounted for high speed vibratory movement in a vertical plane, an embalming table top carried by said frame, means for adjusting said embalming table at a predetermined angle to the horizontal, rotating means for vibrating said frame, said rotating means including a shaft having an eccentric weight thereon between the ends of the shaft, the ends being journalled in aligned bearings carried by said frame, the mass axis of the ends of the shaft being eccentric to the mass axis of the shaft between the ends, and means for imparting high speed rotation to said shaft. 7 r r 3. An embalming table which comprises a frame mounted for high speed vibratory movement in a vertical plane, an embalming table top carried by said frame, rotating means for vibrat-' ing said frame, said rotating means including a shaft having an eccentric weight thereon between the ends of the shaft, theends being journalled in aligned bearings carried by opposing Walls of said frame, the mass axis of the ends of the shaft being eccentric to the mass axis of the shaft between the bearings, and means for imparting high speed rotation to said shaft whereby high speed vibratory movementof restricted frame and to said table top.

4. An embalming table which comprises a frame mounted for high speed vibratory movement in a vertical plane, an embalming tabletop carried by said frame, resilient means for supporting said frame, rotating means for vibrating said frame, said rotating means including a shaft having an eccentric weight thereon between the ends of the shaft, the ends being journalled in aligned bearings carried by opposing walls of said frame, the mass axis of the ends of the shaft being eccentric to the mass axis of the shaft between the ends, and means for imparting high speed rotation to said shaft whereby high speed vibratory movement of restricted radius in a vertical plane is imparted to said frame and to said table top.

5. An embalming table which comprises a frame mounted for high speed vibratory movement in a vertical plane, an embalming table top resiliently supported by said frame, resilient means for supporting said frame, rotating means for vibrating said frame, said rotating means including a shaft having an eccentric weight thereon between the ends of the shaft, the ends being journalled in aligned bearings carried by opposing walls of said frame, the mass axis of the ends of the shaft being eccentric to the mass axis of the shaft between the bearings, and means for imparting high speed rotation to said shaft whereby high speed vibratory movement of re stricted radius in a vertical plane is imparted to said frame and to said table top.

6. An embalming table which comprises a resiliently mounted open top box-like structure,

a shaft extending transversely of said structure, spaced members carried by said shaft, an embalming table supported by said spaced members, a frame carried by said spaced members, rotating means for imparting high speed vibrations in a vertical plane to said frame, said rotating means including a shaft having an eccentric weight thereon between the ends of the shaft, the ends being journalled in aligned bearings carried by opposing walls of said frame, the mass axis of said rotating means being eccentric to the axis of said bearings, and means for imparting high speed rotation to said shaft whereby high speed vibratory movement of restricted radius in a vertical plane is imparted to said frame and to said table top.

STANLEY GORDON HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 859,206 Dayhoff July 9, 1907 1,726,630 Seltner Sept. 3, 1929 1,817,613 Davis Aug. 4, 1931 2,116,708 Niekamp May 10, 1938 2,255,799 Meinzer Sept. 16, 1941 2,266,173 Day Dec. 16. 1941 

